Sir Alex Ferguson knows from lengthy experience that what matters at this
stage of the season is progress. Other considerations like style, aesthetics
and accomplishment have now become secondary in the pursuit of forward
advance. After this bruising victory over Reading, Manchester United’s
campaign remains open on three fronts.

On the road: Sir Alex Ferguson said Manchester United have momentum following Cup win over ReadingPhoto: PA

“It’s another one out the road,” Ferguson said, which is probably the most appropriate way to describe a game which will live as long in the memory as an Old Trafford chicken balti pie.

Back in December, within 34 minutes of the start of a bonkers encounter at the Madejski Stadium, Reading and Manchester United had shared seven goals. The two teams started here as if they had exhausted their goal supply. In front of a near silent stadium, enlivened only by the occasional polite intervention drifting across from the few hundred visiting Reading fans, they produced a thin parody of that pulsating, goal-strewn fixture. If the first half here represented the magic of the FA Cup, we can only shudder to think how uninspiring the muggle version must be.

“It is the FA Cup, it is the drama, it is the excitement,” cooed the stadium announcer before kick off. And several thousand empty seats gave back eloquent answer.

United had done their best to stoke up a Cup atmosphere. Text messages were being sent out to advertise that tickets were still on sale just a couple of hours before kick off. Under sixteens were enticed by a half-term offer at £12, ensuring the rare chants had a high-pitched edge. The front cover of the programme trumpeted the somewhat optimistic headline “Happy Mondays”.

Ferguson, however, introduced a note of reality with his team sheet. Only Phil Jones, David de Gea and Danny Welbeck survived from the Madrid eleven. Even Robin van Persie found himself on the bench.

Those who began ahead of him discovered Reading in obdurate mood. For an hour they refused to yield. Sean Morrison and Adrian Mariappa threw their bodies into the line of shots by Welbeck and Javier Hernández. Their bloody belligerence was personified by Stephen Hunt, who played on despite having six staples inserted into a gaping head wound opened up in an accidental clash with Nemanja Vidic.

But as their manager Brian McDermott pointed out there is only so much a team can do to keep out a side as richly resourced as United. Ultimately it was one of those who had not even featured in the Champions League 18 in Madrid who made the difference here. Nani, fresh from an unfortunate brush with a Manchester police vehicle, came off the bench to replace Jones. His first touch was a stinging volley which smacked against Adam Federici’s post. From then on, his gander was up.

United had not been involved in a goalless draw in their previous 99 matches, and as the game progressed Ferguson grew increasingly anxious. For much of the second half he paced the edge of his technical area, imploring his team forward. The last thing he needed at this stage of his season was a replay. At one point he had a brusque word with the head ball boy. The lad immediately set off, scurrying around the pitchside to tell his colleagues that this was no Swansea: the boss wanted them to get a move on.

Eventually, with Reading’s backline remaining resilient, Ferguson reached for the nuclear option. Up went the fourth official’s board and on galloped Robin Van Persie.

“It lifted the crowd and it lifted their team,” said McDermott of the substitution. It certainly lifted Nani.

With Reading preoccupied by Van Persie, he strode into hitherto occupied space and opened the scoring with a smart shot. Then he quickly found Hernández for the second. Jobi McAnuff’s late flourish for the visitors was ultimately an irrelevance.

“We’ve got that momentum now,” Ferguson claimed. Indeed, while it may not be pretty, the progress is beginning to gain an ominous look.